Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

Original poster

Is this typical of reception?

22 replies

mankyscotslass · 06/01/2007 17:14

I have no frame of reference, al my friends kids are younger than ds. DS started reception in September, he is 4 1/2. He has been getting homework every week, a reading book, comprehension style q's based on the book which is also his writing homework, and 3-4 words a week to learn. His latest words to learn were "climbed", Looked" "tree" and "on". I was a little surprised by the first two, i thought they were a bit much for a 4 1/2 year old? Teacher is very vague when asked about progress, and asking in his planner not getting me very far either!Ds is not at all phased by the words and seems happy, but is this typical reception work, or are the school being really "pushy" at this age?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

flack · 06/01/2007 17:17

I think it is more than average. Much more than my DCs have had.

Twiglett · 06/01/2007 17:18

sounds fairly pushy to me to be honest

Kbear · 06/01/2007 17:20

My DS has been in reception since Sept, he was 5 in Sept too.

His word walls are words like: at, on, as, the, in, said, he, she, is.

He has a Oxford Reading Tree book every night, he can read a few words in it but not many. He's not expected to yet. Certainly no comprehension work - seems alot for reception. Isn't it the "foundation" stage.

Have you had parent's evening yet to discuss your concerns with the teacher?

Twiglett · 06/01/2007 17:22

can your ds already read? I suppose if he's a fluent reader already then comprehension style questions are ok

do you know the KS1 words?

TwoToTango · 06/01/2007 17:25

Seems like a lot for reception. My DS was similar to Kbear. Had a reading book once or twice a week, a book from the school library once a week and learnt new "key" words every week.
It seems early in the school year to be that pushy - I always thought reception was as much about learning the school routine/settling in and socialisation sort of stuff.

Original poster

mankyscotslass · 06/01/2007 17:34

He has used the Oxford Reading Treesince he was in the nursery attached to the school.The comprehension work is basically finding the answer in the Oxford Reading Tree book and writing it in the space in the sentence. I have had a word game with him today, and he does seem to be comfortable with all the KS1 words. Parents evening is not until March. I might try and have a word with the teacher again, if they are pushing him because he is able, as long as he is happy and not stressed then i am am ok with that. I just think they should be a bit more forthcoming with the imformation, this is my first time doing this and i dont want to come across as a demanding and interfering mother that thinks her ds is doing better than he is

OP posts:

flack · 06/01/2007 17:35

I think it is more than average. Much more than my DCs have had.

flack · 06/01/2007 17:36

whoops!

Original poster

mankyscotslass · 06/01/2007 17:39

And I don't really want to be one of the mothers that tries to check out all the other kids homework at the school gates....

OP posts:

Twiglett · 06/01/2007 18:33

would this be a thinly disguised boasting thread?

I think your DS is obviously quite far ahead of many of his peers .. well done to the class teacher for realising and working to his abilities .. at least you know he's in the right school

whatkatydidntdo · 06/01/2007 18:41

when my DD was in reception (3years ago) her words to learn were based on the book they were sharing that week so often came home with "strange" words depending on what the book was!

HTH

Original poster

mankyscotslass · 06/01/2007 18:48

twiglett....i'm not so sure he is ahead of most of them, surely the teacher would have said? it's just strange for me not really knowing...he has a few friends in class and i know their mums, but i wouldn't feel comfortable asking them....beleive me the boasting wont be thinly veiled if he is . dd (3)is a different kettle of fish, far more arty crafty than ds, not into books or card games.
ashamed to say ds can play basic poker and blackjack with daddy on the computer, dd not interested...i would die if ds teacher found out about the poker

OP posts:

Yorkiegirl · 06/01/2007 18:51

Message withdrawn

Original poster

mankyscotslass · 06/01/2007 18:56

thanks everyone, think i really needs to pin the teacher down....in a manner of speaking...and find out what's going on...
i hate feeling clueless....

OP posts:

Twiglett · 06/01/2007 19:00

some children are unable to read and write in year 1 let alone reception

some children join reception being able to read and write

it makes no odds as they equalise around 7 or 8

take it from me if your DS is reading and doing comprehension questions .. and learning tricky spellings 'climbed' he is probably one of the more advanced kids in this reception class

if he's happy I'd leave him to it

well done ds

nikkie · 06/01/2007 19:14

Does seem a strange mix of words though
Its a lot of home work too even if a child is poss G&T

maggiems · 06/01/2007 19:42

I have Dt boys aged 5.5. Last year in P1 (equiv of reception) i remember them getting "everyone" to learn (not to spell but to recognise) . I remember being amazed and couldnt understand why they went from words like On, No yes it etc to doing such a long word. However "everyone" and the words that you quoted are some of the 45/50 key oxford learning tree words and we got a list last year at halloween. Found it a bit odd at the time why a child would learn climbed before climb but the word climbed is used regularly in the early books. I think if your Ds is able to spell such words at this stage then this would be more than expected

Original poster

mankyscotslass · 06/01/2007 19:49

Thanks Maggie, that explains it a bit for me! I am still thinking in P1 too...cant get my head round reception n stuff south of the border here

OP posts:

wheresthehamster · 06/01/2007 20:21

wheresthehamster · 06/01/2007 20:29

Sorry, don't know where that came from!

Ladymuck · 06/01/2007 20:48

The range of what counts as "normal" is huge in Reception. It sounds as if the teacher is giving him appropriate work, but I doubt that she would comment on him being ahead unless he was ahead in everything in the Foundation Stage, inc numeracy, PSE etc. However I am surprised that you don't get a parents evening until March - we usually have one in the first term to see how they're settling etc.

Original poster

mankyscotslass · 09/01/2007 08:17

Thanks for all your responses....i actually bit the bullet and asked a few mums. It appears that his reading books are the same as all the other children, and there is a wide varience of word recognition in his class. The ones that know their words every week get new ones, so although he is ahead of a lot in his class because he has never had to re do his words, i don't think he "advanced" iykwim? I have an aquintance whom i know thru my daughters preschool, it turns out she is a primary teacher! Had a chat to her when we were having coffee, she feels hos reading is advanced for his age, but has advised me to leave it another term and see what happens at school.
Thanks again

OP posts:

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread